The present invention relates to a display tray with an article pusher system, and more particularly to such a display tray which provides a running count of the number of articles within a channel of the display tray.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,413,229 is directed to a shelf allocation and management system. The display channel has a puller member on which markings are provided to indicate the amount of space remaining in the shelf when the products are manually advanced to the front of the channel using the puller member. The puller member provides an accurate indication of the inventory in the channel only immediately after it has been manually pulled forward so that all of the product stretches backwardly from the front of the shelf. As the puller member is not biased towards the front of the channel, it may remain stationary as successive products are taken out of the channel from the front thereof until such time as it is manually pulled forwardly by the user. Thus the inventory count is not just simply read from the system, but must be accompanied by a manual urging of the pusher member forwardly.
Further, while the '229 Patent teaches that markings may be disposed on the puller member to indicate the amount of space remaining on the shelf when the products are advanced to the front as an aid for restocking purposes, it is unclear whether or not numerals are associated with the various markings. In any case, the markings or numbers, if any, are readable only from above the tray (that is, at an upwardly extending angle to the horizontal). Indeed, depending upon the height of the products in the channel, it may be impossible to read the markings except from a position substantially higher than the channel bottom. Such an angle of viewing may not be available when the tray is disposed between two closely vertically spaced shelves. In any case, it would be much simpler to perform inventory if the markings could simply be read from the front of the channel.
It is also known to use a conventional tray pusher inventory counting system wherein the numbers are printed on the biasing means (typically a helically wound spring). However in such a device the numbers are difficult to read because they are typically not flat, and the numbers tend to wear out rapidly since they are undergoing flexing every time a product is removed from or inserted into the channel. Additionally, in this system the same problem of the angle of viewing exists as with the system of the '229 Patent.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide in an article pusher display tray an inventory counting system wherein the number of products in a channel is evidenced at all times, without requiring any manual operation on the system by a user.
Another object is to provide such a system wherein the markings are disposed flat on a rigid surface.
A further object is to provide such a system wherein the markings may be easily read from one end of the channel (preferably the front of the channel) along a generally horizontal line of sight.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide such a system which is inexpensive and simple to manufacture, use and maintain.